What Is a Box-Pressed Cigar?
One of the more unique aspects of cigars is the variety of different sizes and shapes they are available in. Of course, there is your standard looking cigar that everyone knows, but within the community, there is a vast array of unique shapes, and each brings their own benefits. There are standard names for all of these, but also, with modern marketing, several companies have taken to giving sizes their own unique name and twist.
Before talking about the various sizes and size names, you first need to start with the basic cigar shape. This can be broken down into two distinct groups. The first is the most common, known as Parejo. The second, which is becoming ever more popular, is known as box-pressed. Today we are going to learn the difference between these two styles.
Parejo
We’ll start with the most basic and well-known of the shapes, which are known as Parejo. In layman’s terms, a Parejo is your basic cigar shape. It is a long tube that is typically rounded off at both ends. While some cigar sizes, such as the torpedo or perfecto, might slightly stray from this, the important factor that classifies a cigar as a Parejo is its cylindrical sides and foot.
Any cigar that is rounded at the sides and end is a Parejo. It is the typical size and is obviously the most recognizable. When you picture a basic cigar in your mind, I’m willing to bet it was a Parejo.
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The second basic cigar shape is known as box-pressed. In case you were wondering, it is exactly as it sounds. A box-pressed cigar starts out as a Parejo. However, while the cigar is still moist and fresh, it is placed into a square mold. This results in a more boxy shape as opposed to the rounded character of the Parejo.
Box-Pressed cigars were actually started by accident. When Cuba would box-fresh cigars to send overseas, many times they were tightly packed and were still fresh from the factory. By the time they reached Europe, they had developed a more box-like look. Today this is done on purpose, with companies like Tatuaje and AJ Fernandez making a large portion of their portfolio in the box-pressed style.
If you want to know which cigars you should try, check out our Top Five Box-Pressed Cigars video.
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